On 11 September 2025, the online world was stunned when news broke that Yoon Ji-ah, a young actress and influencer with more than 300,000 followers, had been found dead. According to reports, her body was hidden in a suitcase in the mountains just 30 minutes after she signed off from her final livestream.
The brutal details that followed were signs of strangulation, bruising, and a suspect who posed as a benefactor have thrust her death into the centre of a wider conversation about the dark side of social media and influencer safety.
Yoon had been filming her live stream on Yeongjong Island, Incheon, a full three-hour drive from where her body was later discovered in Muju County, North Jeolla Province. Authorities say she was attacked almost immediately after going offline, strangled via neck compression, and then placed in a suitcase and transported to a remote mountain area.
The Suspect Is a ‘VIP Fan’ With a Hidden Life
The man taken into custody is known only by his surname, Choi, and is reportedly in his 50s. Investigative reports, particularly from People and South Korean outlets, claim that the man was living a double life. On the surface, he claimed to be the CEO of an IT company. Online, he was a so-called ‘big-spending VIP’ (sometimes known as ‘Black Cat’) on video platforms, promising to boost his beneficiaries’ social media followings.
@yoonjia102 I can feel that the weather is getting cooler these days! The hot days are passing by😮💨 : Actually, I have a harder time in the cold, so I don’t know what I’ll show you in the winter! Everyone, be careful not to catch a cold!
Yet behind this façade, sources say Choi was drowning in debt, and his home had been seized in a forced auction. Reportedly, he was ranked 46 out of 50 on TikTok’s spending leaderboard, a status requiring massive financial input, which he allegedly could not truly support.
According to The Chosun Daily, Choi convinced Yoon to enter a business partnership with promises of growing her following. But when Yoon tried to sever ties, he allegedly became desperate. Videos reportedly show him on his knees begging Yoon not to end their deal.
CCTV footage is said to have captured Yoon attempting to exit a car at 3:27pm, only to be forcibly pulled back in. The door then slammed. Choi was later seen driving with a suitcase; investigators say he made eight stops en route to the mountain region, possibly in an attempt to obscure his path.
He initially denied involvement upon arrest on 13 September, but later confessed after being informed that Yoon’s body had been discovered.
Public Reaction & Broader Implications
News of Yoon Ji-ah’s death has sparked widespread sorrow and anger, particularly among her follower base and the influencer community in South Korea.
Many are calling for stronger safety protocols and legal protections for creators when engaging in business partnerships or collaborations with VIP donors or fans. Concerns also centre around how platforms handle relationships between content creators and high-spending supporters.
On her TikTok, Ji-ah’s family had shared a note saying, ‘Ji-ah has always been a bright light who loved food, communicated warmly with people and loved her family deeply…..Please honour her memory with kindness and refrain from speculation.’
Meanwhile, the investigation remains ongoing under the jurisdiction of the North Jeolla Provincial Police Agency. Authorities are reviewing digital records, financial transactions, and additional CCTV footage to determine the full circumstances of the case.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
